Bill proposals aimed at restricting sweepstakes have hit a snag in Florida Senate committees, with no definitive action taken yet.
🌴 Florida's Sweepstakes Casino Progress Stalls 🌴
A Setback for Online Sweepstakes Casinos in the Sunshine State 🏖️
Casino supporters aiming to curb online sweepstakes gaming faced a blow as lawmakers in Florida postponed and ultimately pulled two bills from consideration earlier this week.
The shelved bill specifically targeting sweepstakes was S 1404, filed by Sen. Corey Simon, which included prohibitions on online casino sweepstakes, internet gaming, and mobile sports betting outside the state's contract with Hard Rock. Unfortunately, a replacement bill merged with the original legislation failed to progress beyond the Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government.
Moreover, with the failure of this seemingly iGaming-friendly bill, there were rumors that it could have opened the door for Hard Rock to launch online gambling in Florida.
📝 Insights on the Situation:
Florida's current sweepstakes casinos are operating in a legal gray area, with numerous offshore and cryptocurrency casinos continuing to cater to Florida residents.
Meanwhile, legislative struggles have not impinged upon the Seminole Tribe's unique rights to offer mobile sports betting, as legal challenges persist.
Without decisive action to close the sweepstakes loophole, offshore operators and crypto casinos can continue to thrive, and operators face no immediate threat of felony charges.
🔍 What's Next:
The apparent demise of these bills leaves the digital gambling landscape in Florida relatively unchanged, prompting many to wonder if lawmakers will consider re-evaluating sweepstakes bans during future sessions. As of May 2025, no active proposals related to this issue are currently under consideration. 📅
- Proponents of online sweepstakes casinos faced a setback in Florida, as Sen. Corey Simon's bill, S 1404, targeting sweepstakes, was pulled from consideration by lawmakers, potentially leaving offshore and cryptocurrency casinos to continue catering to Florida residents.
- Despite the legislative struggles in Florida, the Seminole Tribe retains its unique rights to offer mobile sports betting, as legal challenges persist.
- With no active proposals related to sweepstakes bans currently under consideration in Florida, there may be a chance for lawmakers to re-evaluate these bans during future sessions as of May 2025.
